Potential Energy Coalition Empowers Britain to Demand Better Futures for Next Generation

​Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, has teamed up with Potential Energy Coalition (PEC) – a nonprofit marketing firm using the power of storytelling to accelerate demand for climate solutions – to launch their powerful first campaign for Parents for Future UK, to empower the British public to demand a better future for their children.

At the heart of the campaign is a hero film titled ‘Sorry’, which taps into the uniquely British habit to apologise – often and for everything. With the average Brit saying “sorry” around eight times a day, the film cleverly contrasts harmless, everyday apologies with one far more serious: the future apology we may owe our children if we fail to take meaningful action now to tackle climate change. It reminds us of the terrible consequences of doing nothing and drives home the critical importance of being un-British about this and making a fuss, because, as the campaign reminds us, “Sorry is easy – until it isn’t.”

Backed by recent global research from Potential Energy Coalition, the campaign taps into a universal motivator: love for the next generation. PEC found that the most compelling driver of climate action across cultures is the desire to protect children’s futures. Supporting this, a new poll by Parents For Future UK shows that parents are increasingly prioritising environmental wealth such as clean air, clean waterways, and healthy forests, above traditional inheritances of property and money.

Created by Droga5 London in partnership with Accenture Song Sustainability, the campaign was produced by Agile Films and directed by UKMVA-nominated director Jamie Whitby. Shot across multiple locations in the UK, and featuring local talent, the film aired in cinema, as well as on streaming services, digital and social platforms. The integrated campaign also spans radio and OOH placements.

​Ed Redgrave, creative director, Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song said, “As Brits we say ‘sorry’ for anything. ‘Sorry’ (you walked into me). ‘Sorry’ (can I sit on the seat your bag is on?). ’Sorry’ (you’re talking utter nonsense). It’s an instinctive, reflex reaction to avoid confrontation. But when it comes to climate change – I’m sorry – we can’t afford to be British about it. Or one day, we’ll be making an apology to our children that we really don’t want to make.”

Forrest Boleyn, executive creative director, Potential Energy said, “The notion that when it comes to climate change, 'sorry' is the best we can offer our kids is devastating and unacceptable. Grounded in a playful truth about British behaviour, this campaign delivers a powerful gut punch: if we don’t act now to protect the people we love, the only thing left to say will be meaningless.”

​Karen Land Short, global executive creative director, sustainability, Accenture Song said, “There’s a quiet, collective regret about how the climate crisis is unfolding. And sometimes, saying the hard human truth – in a surprising, relatable way – is what spurs people into action. With all communications around climate change, we need to be as human as possible, and unafraid of things with emotional charge – like the idea of failing our children.”

John Marshall, CEO of Potential Energy said, “The most effective way to mobilise support for climate action is through love and the desire to protect future generations. That’s the heartbeat of this campaign. It’s a wake-up call: Later is too late.”